If you’ve been a fan of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ since it started, you’ve been cooking up delightful sweet treats for as long as you can remember and you’ve always had a keen interest in business ventures- now is the time to set up your own bakery. For keen bakers, this is likely something you’ve been wanting to get your teeth into for years, and now that you’ve got the skills, resources and budget to do so, the world is your oyster.
Setting up your own business is an extremely exciting journey to embark on and, if all goes well, can lead to some amazing experiences and opportunities. However, it’s important not to get ahead of yourself. There’s so much planning and organising that goes into building a bakery, and even skipping just one item on the checklist could cause your gingerbread house to implode.
In other words, setting up a business is a delicate process and although it can be tempting to bypass certain aspects in order to truly get stuck in, this is unlikely to be conducive to a successful business in the long run.
What’s more, it’s easy to get swept up in a whirlwind excitement when opening your own bakery. That’s why we’ve made a list of some of the key steps to take when building your bakery, ensuring your business gets off to a flying start.
Rustle up a business plan
The importance of creating a business plan cannot be overstated. Whilst it may seem like your ideas are clear enough in your head, it’s important to get them down on paper and explore them in depth to ensure that the business has been considered from every angle. A business plan will help you to set your goals, explore competition, establish your budget and expenses and most importantly, identify the best avenue to take your bakery down.
Part of creating a business strategy is establishing the sort of bakery you’d like to open. Perhaps you’d like to run a dine-in establishment to make more of a profit, or maybe you’d like to keep things simple with a straightforward counter service. Whatever your preferences, it’s important to establish this sooner rather than later as your decision will guide you in the next stage of the process…
Sift out a space
Once you know how your bakery is going to operate, you can find a space that ticks all the boxes. That being said, this isn’t a decision that should be made hastily. From rent prices to local competition, there’s a lot to consider when picking a space for your bakery, and it’s as much about the building itself as it is about the location it’s in. To ensure you find your dream bakery space, it’s essential to explore the area thoroughly, do a bit of market research and most importantly, shop around to ensure you get the best price possible.
When it comes to the interior of your bakery, it’s imperative to find a space that’s big enough to accommodate your business and further to this, it’s important to consider what state the property is in. If you have to carry out extensive renovations before you’re able to open, it may be better to opt for a building that requires less work to ensure delays are kept to a minimum. When choosing a space for your bakery, weighing up all the pros and cons is crucial to finding the best venue out there.
Sampling wholesale food suppliers
Every baker needs top-quality ingredients to create sumptuous sweet treats and finding the right wholesale food suppliers is a crucial part of the planning process. From milk and cream to eggs and flour, there are many essentials a bakery needs to function, and buying these in bulk is the most cost-effective option for a business.
Then, there’s all the equipment you’ll require to create and display your culinary masterpieces. Mixers, bakeware, display cases and cake stands are all things you’ll likely need to ensure your bakery succeeds, and buying top-quality equipment at a reasonable price is no easy feat.
Again, when liaising with suppliers, it’s advisable to reach out to a few different vendors and ask them about pricing so that you can compare deals and select the best one. Having a firm establishment of your budget and a grasp of exactly what your business needs is the best way to find a supplier that can meet your exact requirements, but what’s the best way to work out what ingredients your bakery requires?
Mixing up a menu
Creating a delicious bakery menu is a subtle art that must be considered carefully. In addition to assessing where your talents lie in terms of baked goods, as well as what you’re passionate about making, it’s essential to factor in your client base, current baking trends and of course, pricing.
Whilst it’s unlikely that you’ll make a profit overnight, this is the ultimate goal to ensure your business succeeds, so it’s vital for your menu to be priced accordingly. Analysing how much each product costs to make, considering markups and trying to keep your prices reasonable but profitable are all things that should be taken into account when pricing your menu. However, if you find that you’re struggling with this task, you can always hire a professional to do it for you, which leads neatly onto the next item on the list.
Concocting a team
From chefs and kitchen porters to waiters and waitresses, a team of staff are the lifeblood of any business. After all, it’s impossible for you to be in several different places at once, so in order for every aspect of your bakery to function flawlessly, it’s essential to build an exceptional team.
In addition to hiring staff that are skilled in the relevant trades, you should also be looking for people who support and represent the values of your business. Reputation is an extremely important aspect of business success, and customers will base a lot of their judgement on the service provided by front of house staff. With this in mind, it’s essential to select employees that can represent your business positively and propel you to success.
A spoonful of marketing
Finally, to get the word out about your brand new bakery, marketing is a tool you should use to its full advantage. Initial marketing is crucial to getting your business off the ground and slowly but surely, you should start to build up a steady stream of customers as word spreads.
Marketing comes in all different forms, so choose strategies that are suited to your business and that you can fully commit to. From social media ads to business cards, there are tons of platforms you can use to propel your bakery to success, and if you use these in the right way, it won’t be long before your bakery becomes an established household name.
Looking for the best wholesale egg prices in London? Look no further than Freshways
At Freshways, we stock the freshest milk and dairy products and we have a range of items to accommodate all food and beverage businesses. From milk and cheese to single or double cream for whipping, we have the ingredients you need to propel your business and we promise to deliver your products on time to prevent any disruption to your operation.
Whether you run a small bakery or a large hotel, we work with a broad range of clients and can provide the exact quantities you need. Plus, we pride ourselves on offering an extremely affordable service.
So, if you’re looking for a bread supplier that can provide all the essentials, contact us today and give your bakery business a boost with Freshways.